How to set different PHP settings for subdomain / subdirectory?

Normally, your hosting account’s PHP configuration file exist in at /conf/php.ini and the setting applied globally for your account. But if there is need to change the default settings for one of your subdomain or subdirectory then follow these steps:

1. Log in to your account via SSH

2. Copy the complete file /conf/php.ini to the subdomain / subdirectory folder in which you would like the custom settings applied.

3. Edit the new php.ini with the custom settings you want applied to the subdomain / subdirectory

4. Inside the same folder where you copied the php.ini, create an .htaccess file which contains the below line:

SetEnv PHPRC.

This will instruct Apache to create that environmental variable available to all script in that directory and PHP will check it to determine where to search the php.ini.

Note: following step is very important

Certainly, you will not want the outside world to have access to your settings in your php.ini file. So what is the solution? Add the following line to the .htaccess file in the same directory:

<Files ~ “\.ini$”>
Order allow, deny
Deny from all
</Files>

This will deny any web requests to any file in that directory ending in .ini; thus preventing your PHP settings from being seen by others.

Now you have a secure php.ini file that you can modify settings in to affect the .php files within that directory.